Hopple



(No Model.)

J. SHEPHERD.

HOPPLE.

Patented Mar 13,1894.

rmoamrnma coll-ANY wmmerou. n. c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SHEPHERD, OF MEMPHIS, MICHIGAN. v

HO'PPLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 516,316, dated March 13, 1894:

Application filed May 16I 1893.

erial No. 474,417. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SHEPHERD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Macomb and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hopples, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. 7

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in hopples and consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and definitely pointed out in the claim. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device as applied to a horses leg. Fig. 2 is a detached perspective View of the same, the securing straps being open.

A and B are two bands of a suitable length to encircle the leg of a horse above and below the knee and provided with suitable means for securing them thereon, such as the straps a and buckles I). These bands are suitably padded to prevent abrasion of the limb of the animal.

O is a strap preferably of leather secured at one end, as shown at D to one end of the band and at the other end adapted to engage with the buckle E.

F are guide loops preferably formed of a leather strap and arranged in pairs upon the bands in such relation thereto that when the bands are folded upon the horses leg, as shown in Fig. 1, these loops will be at each side of the leg. The strap 0 passes through the guide loops F and between said loops are arranged the rigid bars Gpreferably of wood having eyes H at the ends through which the strap Opasses. The bars G are curved to conform to the shape of the side of the leg of the horse, to prevent abrasion orinjury thereto when in position.

With my device applied to the front leg of a horse it is evident that if the straps O are tightened to givev little or no slack, the horse cannot bend his knee more than to slowly walk about and it will be impossible for him to jump or run With the device in position. By loosening the strap 0 more or less the horse can bend his knee proportionately to the slack in the said strap which will form a flexible loop I between the guide loops F, the length of this loop governing the amount of movement which the horse can have at the joint.

I have found that a device of this kind while permitting the horse considerable freedom for walking, to graze and in lying down will prevent his running or jumping and at the same time that there is little or no possibility of his injuring himself from its use.

What I claim as my invention is The combination of the bands A B having securing means as described, of the straps C secured at one of their ends to one of the ends of the bands and having their other ends adj ustably secured to the opposite ends of the bands of the guide straps F arranged in pairs on the straps G, the loops I of the straps 0 between said guide straps and the curved rigid bars G having eyes with which said loops I engage, the parts arranged and operating, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN SHEPHERD.

Q Witnesses:

JAMES WHITTEMORE, M. B. ODOGHERTY. 

